Explosive.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON FLETCHER LINDSLEY OF KINGS MILLS, OHIO, A SSIGNOR TO THE KING POWDER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

EXPLOSIVE.

1,008,725. No Drawing.

To all'who'm it may concern Be it known that I, MILTON F. LINDSLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kings Mills, in the county of Warren and State ofOhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Explosives, of

which the following a full, clear, and

- if .not the most desirable in practice.

exact specification. I V

The inventlon relates to exploslves and more particularly to what is known as shall be safe and reliable in making and in firing, that it shall ,be stable, that is, not easily affected by climatic changes or age, that it shall givea high yelocity to the projectile withmoderate pressure, and that itv shall be free from smoke, injurious gases and residuum in firing. It is the primary object of the invention m; secure an improved explosive combining all of these elements of advantage and pos- Tj sessing other new and useful characteristics as hereinafter set forth, utilizing at the same time materials and processes in the production of the same that shall keep the product within reasonable cost. I

The preferred ingredients employed in the max ufact-ure of my improved powder are cellulose and starch, which are granulated andtreated with nitro-benzindn the form of what is commonly called mirbane oil, although in some cases nitro-toluenepr glycerin 'may be employed instead of m1rwane oil, mirbane oil being preferred? Mixed acid is then added-to the product consisting preferably of about one part of nitric acid and "two parts of sulfuric acid, the nitric acid to have aspecific gravity of about 1.500 and the sulfuric acid of about 1.84.0. After mirbane oil, and in some cases it is found desirable to treat the nitrated product with solid inorganic nitrate before the last application of the mirbane oil, as hereinafter more fully set forth. A

In the preferred form' of practicing the.

" invention the cellulose, which may be any Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 14, 1911. Application filed June 8, 1907. Serial No. 377,861..

suitable fiber, such as cot-ton or fiber of corn.

stalk, is first mechanically reduced to a fine impalpable powder. However, the preferred form of cellulose is a chemically pure wood pulp, as in this form it is found more friable and tractable for this purpose. To about 90% weight of the cellulose powder thus prepared, 10% weight. of starch is .added, which is preferably potato or rice This starch is mixed with cold starch. water, then boiled and mixed with the cellulose forming a stiff dough or plastic mass. This dough is then separated into a quantity of longitudinal lengths of small diameter preferably accomplished by forcing the dough by a piston or screw through a plate or die containing a mi'mberof small holes. The yarn or strings of the dough or plastic mass thus formed are next thor oughly dried, then are broken up in a corning'mill or other suitable device, after which 1t is siftedand formed into grains of proper size intended for the finished product. The

material in this granularf form is then treated by saturating it with about 20% of its weight of nitro-benzin (mirbane oil), or nitro-toluene or glycerin, although nitrobenzene is preferred, according to the purpose for which the powder is intended, the general objectbeing to give higher power as an explosive. After being thus formed and saturated, the material is next treated with a bath of mixed acid as already described, consisting of about one part of nitric acid and about two parts of sulfuric acid. The material is next washed and thoroughly neutralized, after which it is dried at. a temperature of 140 to 150 Fahr. un-.

or of nitrate of barium, or of nitrate of ammonia, -although this treatment is not generally found necessary. When by experience this latter treatment is found desirable, the material should again be thoroughly dried. But whether thus treated or not, the

material,'which will still be in granular form, should again and finally be treated by placing it in a glaze tub in which it is rubbed and glazed after applying to it from 3% to 5% of nitro-benzin with'a little plumagain returned to the drying house, where it remains for two or threedays under a being nitrated.

temperature of 120 F ahr. Then it will be found advisable to keep it stored in bulk for several weeks longer before packing or firingin order that it may be thoroughly seasoned and protected against atmos )heric changes. The diiierent batches of powder, thus dried and seasoned, are preferably blended.

-For nitrating, any ordinary apparatus used for such purposes may be used and about six pounds of mixed acid as described should be used to one pound of grain. It

will thus be seen that the powder is completed up to the point of granulation before- T his contributes an element of safety in the manufacture and at the same time hardens the surface ot the grain, which PIQYGIIL'S the grainfrom rubbing into dustand also protects it against the atmosphere. The combination of the intro-benzene or mirbane oil. with the nitro-cellulose also results in hardening of the grain, and the mirbane oil not only increases the adhesive properties of the granular particles and gives binding efi'ect, but also beingin itself a nitro compound it contributes explosive force and so aids in bringing the powder up to high power. The treatment by solution of nitrate of potassium, nitrate of barium or nitrate of ammonia will also have modifying etl'eets, as is well known,in the rate of combustion and pressure, and. this treatment can be utilized in tempering the vpowder and in reducing it to a given standard when found desirable.

I claim l. The herein described method which consists in treating a mechanical mixture of starch and cellulose in granular form with about20$ of its weight of mirbane oil, applying 'a bath of mixed acid consisting of about one part nitric acid and two parts sulfuric acid, neutralizing and drying the resulting material and applying a water proofing coating of mirbane oil.

2. T he herein described method of pr0ducing a intro-powder, which consists in treating a mechanical mixture of cellulose and starch in granular form with Inirbane oil, applying to the resulting material a nitrating bath, after which the granules are neutralized and dried, treated with a solution of a solid inorganic nitrate, and finally treated in finishing and glazing with a coating of mirbane oil.

3. The herein described method of producing a intro-powder which consists in treating a mechanical mixture of starch and cellulose with mirbane oil, then treating the mixture with a nitrating acid bath, after which the resulting material is washed and neutralized and finally treated with a waterproofing coating of mirbane oil.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 'two subscribing witnesses, on this ulih day of June A. D. 1907.

MILTON FLETCHER LINDSLEY.

lVitnesses G. M. PETERS, GEORGE D. HARPER. 

